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2 Water = Life But did you know Water covers about 70% of the Earth s surface. Most of this water is undrinkable because 97% is salt water. Only 1% of water is found in rivers and streams. Approximately 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water. About 6,000 children die every day from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water. Most of the cities where large numbers of people live without taps and toilets have plentiful water supplies. Freshwater fish and other aquatic animals are considerably more imperiled than those that live on land or in the oceans. It takes 1,000 times more water to grow food for an individual than to meet that person s needs for drinking. Irrigation increases yields for most crops by 100 to 400%. About 70% of freshwater withdrawals are used for irrigation. Water withdrawals for agriculture, assuming no gains in efficiency of use, are expected to increase by 45% by The Earth s water is finite, but it is infinitely renewable.

3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report is the result of collaboration between The Nature Conservancy and The Coca-Cola Company. It also represents the product of significant contributions of individuals from a number of other organizations: The Water Footprint Network provided support for pilot study efforts and guidance through publication of the Water Footprint Manual. Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE) was a key partner for the Coca-Cola water footprint pilot study, providing significant data and other resources. Researchers at the Twente Water Centre, University of Twente, The Netherlands conducted the technical work for the Coca-Cola water footprint pilot study. Denkstatt, in cooperation with the Institute for Water Quality, Resources and Waste Management at the Vienna University of Technology, conducted the beet sugar water footprint pilot study. LimnoTech conducted the orange juice water footprint pilot studies and contributed technical expertise and writing support for this report.

4 Benjamin Franklin

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ES INTRODUCTION Objectives of this Report Global Freshwater Challenges The Nature Conservancy s Freshwater Conservation Goals The Coca-Cola Company s Water Stewardship Goals The Water Footprint Concept PILOT STUDIES Water Footprint of 0.5 Liter Coca-Cola in PET Bottle Water Footprint of Beet Sugar Supplied to the Coca-Cola System s European Bottling Plants Water Footprint of Orange Juice Products PERSPECTIVES Setting Goals and Scope Water Footprint Accounting Water Footprint Sustainability Assessment Water Footprint Response Formulation LOOKING FORWARD The Coca-Cola Company s Water Stewardship and Sustainable Agriculture Strategy The Nature Conservancy s Water Stewardship 37

6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY When properly managed, even large volumes of water use can be sustainable in locations where the resource is sufficient to support the use. The impacts of a water use need to be assessed in the context of all water uses in the watershed in order to define cumulative impacts, shared risks and appropriate response strategies. Traditionally, calculations of how much water a business uses have been based on the quantities used directly in producing that company s products. In recent years, businesses have been encouraged to look at their water use more comprehensively and investigate the water used throughout their supply chains. Together with The Nature Conservancy ( the Conservancy ), The Coca-Cola Company ( the Company ) has been one of the companies leading the way on developing a water footprint assessment methodology through active participation in the Water Footprint Network. A product water footprint is the total volume of freshwater consumed, directly and indirectly, to produce a product. A full water footprint assessment considers the impacts of this water consumption, as well as appropriate response strategies to minimize those impacts. Water footprinting and carbon footprinting are very different assessments. With carbon footprints, one can compare similar products (if the same boundaries and methodology are used) knowing that lower carbon (or zero carbon) is better. On the other hand, water footprints help identify where water is used in the production of a product and what type of water is used. Water is local and thus water footprint numbers must be considered in the context of the local watershed. The number associated with a water footprint is not the end game, but rather a starting point to addressing the sustainability of the water source. This report, prepared by The Nature Conservancy and The Coca-Cola Company, examines the concept of product water footprinting and its practical application for addressing the growing challenges related to freshwater. Three water footprint assessments were conducted for the Company: Coca-Cola 1 in a 0.5 liter PET bottle produced by Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE) in the Netherlands; Beet sugar supplied to Coca-Cola bottling plants in Europe; and Minute Maid orange juice and Simply Orange produced for the North American market. Water footprint assessments can be helpful in supporting corporate water stewardship efforts by providing a tool to measure and understand water use throughout the supply chain. They can 1 Coca-Cola refers to the product brand. ES-1

7 provide valuable insight into the largest components and locations of water consumption, the potential effects on local watersheds, and future water availability to serve the collective needs of communities, nature, producers, suppliers and companies. In this way, water footprint assessments can contribute to an increased understanding of a business water-related risks and vulnerabilities. General observations and implications for product water footprinting follow: The value of product water footprinting is its ability to disaggregate water use by component (i.e., direct and indirect use; green, blue and grey). It is important to keep the components of a water footprint separate so that impacts can be assessed in the context of the local watersheds where the water is being sourced. The largest portion of the product water footprints assessed as part of these pilot studies come from the field, not the factory. The Coca-Cola Company sees significant opportunity to engage more directly with its agricultural suppliers in advancing sustainable water use. Guided in part by these assessments, the Company is focusing its initial efforts on sustainable sourcing of sugar cane and oranges. While the operational water footprint associated with production was found to be a very small percentage of the total water footprint, it remains important for businesses to manage their direct/operational impacts on local water resources. This is especially true with regard to wastewater treatment. To really gain an understanding of whether water use is having an impact, the volume of water consumption must be considered with the cumulative effect of all uses of the shared water resource. While water footprints are an excellent tool for companies to begin to understand their water use, care must be taken when communicating about water footprint assessments. Numeric water footprints on labels do not provide information needed to make informed choices among products. Water footprinting is helping The Coca-Cola Company refine its approach to global water stewardship. The pilot studies have verified the importance of examining direct and indirect water use separately. The Company is focusing first on operational water use by taking action to use water more efficiently and treat all manufacturing wastewater. The studies also affirmed the Company s efforts to understand the health of watersheds everywhere it operates. Importantly, water footprinting provides compelling support for the need to engage more directly with suppliers, governments and other stakeholders on responsible water stewardship. ES-2

8 Emperor Yu of China, 1600 B.C.

9 1.0 INTRODUCTION People use lots of water for drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as food, paper, cotton clothes, etc. The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business. Water Footprint Manual: State of the Art Water footprinting is a young science, and the methods for calculating water footprints are evolving through the efforts of the Water Footprint Network (WFN) 3 and various other initiatives. The Nature Conservancy and The Coca-Cola Company are actively engaged in efforts to test the practical application of the water footprint methodology and explore opportunities for improvement. Both organizations have engaged in separate initiatives related to water stewardship and water footprinting and have collaborated on projects of mutual interest. Over the past two years, the Coca-Cola system 4 has undertaken three water footprint pilot studies to assess the practical application of the methods to its products. Together with The Nature Conservancy and the consulting firm LimnoTech, the Coca-Cola system also has been exploring and quantifying the benefits of watershed restoration actions to restore and sustain adequate water supplies for the full range of beneficial uses. 5 Because water-related impacts are local in nature, efforts to reduce or eliminate adverse impacts are best implemented in the watersheds in which the impacts are occurring. The Nature Conservancy is drawn to this collaboration because it is committed to helping build solutions to the world s water problems so there will always be enough for people and nature. Helping corporations find better and more responsible ways of using water is an essential step on the pathway to water sustainability. Two simple facts drive The Nature Conservancy s interest: Tremendous opportunities exist to improve the way water is used and managed, and thereby alleviate water scarcity problems that affect both people and nature. Fostering such improvements is a high priority for the Conservancy, because unsustainable water use is a leading cause of declines in freshwater biodiversity. Corporations can provide leadership in implementing sustainable water practices. These improved water practices make good sense for businesses and can bring substantial benefits to freshwater ecosystems. The Company is drawn to this collaboration because it recognizes that engaging external partners is essential to its commitment to have a positive impact on the water challenges facing communities and nature. The Conservancy brings focused expertise in freshwater conservation science and an in-depth understanding of the interrelationships between healthy ecosystems and the communities they sustain. Through the collaboration, both organizations are able to leverage their strengths to address water challenges locally, at a global scale. 2 Hoekstra, Arjen Y., A. Chapagain, M. Aldaya, and M. Mekonnen Water Footprint Manual; State of the Art Published by the Water Footprint Network The Coca-Cola system refers to both The Coca-Cola Company (also referred to as the Company in this report) and its more than 300 bottling partners. 5 LimnoTech and The Nature Conservancy Quantifying Watershed Restoration Benefits in Community Water Partnership Projects. 1

10 Maps such as this one show the degree of stress for different regions based on the ratio of water use to water availability (water replenished naturally by precipitation and snow melt). Water stress indices are calculated in different ways, as discussed later in this report. Degree of Water Stress by Freshwater Ecoregion Extreme stress High stress Moderate stress Low or no stress Minimal water use Unassessed 1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THIS REPORT This report was prepared for water resource managers, water footprint practitioners, partners of the Water Footprint Network and others interested in how water footprinting can help inform a company s water stewardship program. The purpose is to share lessons learned and observations related to water footprint assessments and their practical application. The Nature Conservancy and The Coca-Cola Company hope that the information shared in this document will make a positive contribution to the ongoing development of the water footprint assessment methodology and its application. 2

11 Map from The Atlas of Global Conservation (University of California Press, 2010). For more information, please go to: The Nature Conservancy, 1.2 GLOBAL FRESHWATER CHALLENGES Water is the core of our being. Two-thirds of the human body is made up of water, and we must continually replenish it. Analogous to losing oil in an automobile, being down only a few quarts of water can be fatal. But it takes a lot more than drinking water to keep us healthy. We need water for cooking and bathing. We need water to grow food and generate electricity, to produce the clothes on our backs and the countless other goods we use in our daily lives. There would be enough water to support all of humanity, now and for decades to come, if it were evenly distributed around the globe and delivered from the skies at a constant rate. At a global scale, we consume less than 10% of all the water that replenishes rivers, lakes and aquifers each year. 3

12 But all too often, rain comes as a deluge or not at all, making its capture and storage elusive. It also is not distributed evenly. The Atacama Desert in northern Chile may go for more than 20 years without rain, whereas Mt. Waialeale on Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands averages more than 12 meters of rain a year. Perhaps most importantly, the growth of our global population has not followed the rain. These facts of life explain the patchiness of water scarcity and abundance. Today, nearly 1 billion people lack access to clean water. If current water consumption patterns continue, two-thirds of the world s population will live in water-stressed conditions by The highly variable tapestry of water scarcity and the conflicts, impacts and risks that derive from it must ultimately be addressed in local watersheds. Governance policies at various geopolitical levels can certainly influence how water is used, but the great spatial variability in water availability and use, along with other influences on hydrologic systems, including local land use, demand that any assessment of potential impacts, risks and sustainability of water use be framed by the physical bounds of the watershed. This explains the recent trend within the Water Footprint Network toward a focus on evaluating the consequences of water footprints in local watersheds. Ongoing calculations of the water footprints of individual products or whole nations have increased awareness that water is consumed throughout the supply chain in the production of all consumer goods. This information will continue to serve an important role in informing public policy around water use and management. Within the corporate world, water footprints enable a greater understanding of the volume of water embedded in products, the potential effects on local watersheds caused by the water use and the probabilities of future water availability to serve the collective needs of the company, communities and nature. Not understanding the collective impacts of water use on the local watersheds can increase risks to the business. As discussed later in this report, both the Conservancy and the Company have embraced and continue to support this important evolution in water footprinting. From a corporate perspective, growing water scarcity and the need to use water in business operations and supply chains pose risks of various types. These business risks can be viewed from two perspectives: one looks at upstream risks, and the other focuses on downstream risks. 4

13 Upstream business risks are generally centered on the question of whether or not a company can expect to have sufficient supplies of clean water in the future to support its business. This area of risk can be influenced by increasing competition for water resources, growing water scarcity, drought, climate change, water source contamination, infrastructure failure, poorly managed water allocation systems, ineffective public sector management capacity, insufficient water resource management policy and other factors. Downstream business risks stem from the fact that a company s water use and wastewater treatment practices may impact other water users and stakeholders. Water-related risks must be addressed within the context of the local watersheds. It is important to consider the impact of a company s water use in conjunction with the impacts from all water users in the watershed, as impacts are cumulative. The risk of water scarcity and/or poor quality is not only a business risk, but a risk shared with the community and other users. Efficiency improvements are important, but the most appropriate response actions may not always involve reduction of the water footprint (sometimes a reduction of a water footprint is not possible). In many cases, policy and regulatory engagement to support improved management of the shared resource may be a more appropriate response. When water resources are adversely affected by the cumulative impacts from multiple uses, whether those impacts are a result of a company s use, real or perceived, it can affect that company s social license to operate. It also may trigger regulatory responses from governments. These social and political reactions can lead to increased water acquisition and treatment costs, reduced water supply, more stringent wastewater treatment requirements, riskier infrastructure planning and capital investments and potential reputation damage. In rare cases, the business may be shut down by the local government or may otherwise no longer be viable and voluntarily shut down. The Conservancy and the Company have been collaborating on an exploration of various approaches and tools for assessing and managing water-related risk. We are learning as we go. This report summarizes some of our early findings. 1.3 THE NATURE CONSERVANCY S FRESHWATER CONSERVATION GOALS The Nature Conservancy is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the conservation of biological diversity. The Conservancy s mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The Conservancy s on-the-ground conservation work is carried out in all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 30 other countries, and it is supported by approximately one million individual members. The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 47 million hectares of land and hundreds of rivers and lakes around the world. While the Conservancy s mission is focused on sustaining the Earth s diversity of plants and animals, the organization s broader contribution to society is in the protection of the life support systems of our planet we cannot protect the diversity of life on this planet, including human life, without protecting the ecosystems that sustain us all. Natural ecosystems provide humanity with clean water, food and fiber. Natural resources derived from ecosystems support major sectors of our economy, whether in the form of fisheries that sustain coastal communities or through tourism economies that rely so heavily upon naturebased recreation. Healthy natural ecosystems perform an array of valuable services with substantial economic values, including purifying our water supplies, sequestering carbon and helping to regulate the climate and hydrologic cycles of our planet. 5

14 Through its work on more than 600 freshwater projects around the world, the Conservancy has learned what it takes to make rivers and lakes healthy and keep them healthy. The organization has deep roots in communities around the world, bringing resources, expertise and tools that empower people to protect waters that sustain families, livelihoods and ways of life. Especially for the world s poor, partnering with them to preserve their natural sources of water, food and other necessities helps preserve their cultures, their economic potential and their power of self-determination. Some of these freshwater projects focus on iconic waters that are the lifeblood of nations, like the Great Lakes and Yangtze River. Some are lesser known, yet are hubs of innovation, like the Penobscot River in Maine, which is a proving ground for solutions that can accelerate and improve protection of rivers and lakes around the world. The Conservancy understands that to reach its goals, the organization must also equip people with better ways to use the water resources nature gives us. Doing so benefits not only the Conservancy s freshwater projects, it also creates a ripple-effect that benefits countless other rivers and lakes around the world. Therefore, a key aspect of the Conservancy s work is giving leaders in government and business pragmatic alternatives to wasteful and destructive ways of using rivers and lakes. The Conservancy s commitment to the advancement of water footprinting supports these objectives. Through its work in watersheds around the world and collaborations with governments, corporations and local communities, the Conservancy expects that by 2015, it will bring enhanced protection and restoration to more than 1.5 million kilometers of river and improved water, food and electricity security to more than 200 million people. 1.4 THE COCA-COLA COMPANY S WATER STEWARDSHIP GOALS Water is a key ingredient in all of the Company s products. It is essential to the Company s operations and the well-being of the communities and ecosystems where the Company operates. In response to the very real and growing vulnerability of the freshwater that sustains the business, the Company s aim is to establish a truly water-sustainable business on a global scale through a commitment to water stewardship. The Company s water stewardship journey began with a focus on water use in its own operations, where it has greater influence. In 2005, the Company conducted global water risk assessments to gain a better understanding of the potential water risks facing the business, local communities and ecosystems. This led to the establishment of the Company s water stewardship framework, which focuses on plant performance, watershed protection, sustainable communities and raising global awareness and action around water challenges (Figure 1). Risk assessments were updated in 2008, and a system-wide requirement went into effect that all Coca-Cola system bottling plants evaluate the sustainability of the water resources used to produce their beverages, as well as the sustainability of the water resources used by the surrounding community. These evaluations include detailed assessments of the vulnerabilities associated with quantity and quality of local water resources, and they result in the development of source water protection plans in partnership with civil society and governments. All plants are required to complete this process and be actively implementing their protection plans by These source water protection plans address critical water challenges at a watershed level, from hydrological vulnerabilities to local government management capacity. 6

15 PLANT PERFORMANCE WATERSHED PROTECTION SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES GLOBAL AWARENESS AND ACTION Figure 1. The Coca-Cola Company s Water Stewardship Framework In addition, the Company set an aspirational goal in 2007 to safely return to communities and nature an amount of water equivalent to what is used in all of its beverages and their production. The formulation of this target came from dialogue with the international water stakeholder community and set metrics for water stewardship. The Company has set targets to guide its water stewardship in three areas: Reduce the Company s water use ratio while growing the unit case volume, with a target to improve water efficiency by 20% over 2004 levels by By 2009, the Company had achieved a 12.6% improvement over the 2004 baseline. 6 Recycle the water used in operations by returning treated process water to the environment at a level that supports aquatic life by the end of In 2009, 89% of Coca-Cola system facilities (approximately 95% of reported volume) were in compliance with the Company s wastewater treatment standards. 6 Replenish the water used in finished beverages by participating in locally relevant projects that support communities and nature, and meet and maintain this goal by Estimates are that by the end of 2009, the Company was replenishing approximately 22% of the water used in its finished beverages through the support of some 250 community water programs in approximately 70 countries. 6,7,8,9 The Company, recognizing that water use in agriculture is a significant component of the water footprint, has established a sustainable agriculture program. The strategy extends beyond water resources and considers environmental impacts, social implications and economic pressures. The Company s approach to sustainable agriculture is multi-dimensional and founded on principles to uphold workplace rights, protect the environment and help build sustainable communities. 6 Supporting documents can be found on The Coca-Cola Company s website: 7 The Coca-Cola Company Replenish Report. 8 LimnoTech and The Nature Conservancy Quantifying Watershed Restoration Benefits in Community Water Partnership Projects. 9 Global Environment & Technology Foundation with Dr. Albert Wright Quantifying Water Access Benefits in Community Water Partnership Projects. 7

16 Water footprint assessments can be helpful in supporting these water stewardship efforts by providing a tool for understanding and measuring water use throughout the Coca-Cola system s direct operations and its supply chain. The Company has been actively involved in the exploration of the concept of water footprinting for several years, and it was instrumental in forming the Water Footprint Working Group (WFWG) that commissioned several early studies addressing water footprints and water offsets. The WFWG evolved into the Water Footprint Network (WFN) in 2008, and the Company continues to be an active member of and an integral contributor to the development process. The Company also is engaged in activities of the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER), a coalition of global beverage companies working together to drive continuous improvement in water conservation and resource protection. The Company is a member of a working group of BIER that is developing sector-specific guidelines for calculating the water footprint of a beverage product or enterprise. In addition, The Coca-Cola Company became one of the first companies to commit to the United Nations Global Compact s CEO Water Mandate. This program is designed to help companies better manage water use in their direct operations and throughout their supply chains. The Company is an active participant in three work streams on: Responsible Business Engagement with Water Policy and Management, Water and Human Rights, and Corporate Water Disclosure. 1.5 THE WATER FOOTPRINT CONCEPT Water footprinting builds on the concept of virtual water, which refers to the water embedded in a product; that is, water that is consumed in direct operations and throughout the supply chain. A water footprint of a product considers both direct (operational) and indirect (supply chain) water use. It also refers to where and when the water was used. A water footprint has three components: The green water footprint refers to consumption of green water resources (rainwater stored in the soil as moisture); The blue water footprint refers to consumption of blue water resources (surface and ground water); The grey water footprint refers to pollution and is defined as the volume of freshwater that is required to assimilate the load of pollutants based on existing ambient water quality standards. The term consumption with respect to green water refers to rainwater lost to the atmosphere from the land surface when it is taken up and transpired by plants ( evapotranspiration ), plus rainwater incorporated into the harvested crop. The term consumption with respect to blue water refers to surface water or groundwater that is evapotranspired, incorporated into a product, returned to a different watershed or returned during a different time period. Together, the green and blue water footprints make up the consumptive water footprint. This water is not available downstream for other uses. Grey water results from green or blue water that is not consumed. For instance, when rain (green water) falls on agricultural land and then runs off the field, it may carry eroded soil or chemicals, such as fertilizers, into an adjacent water body, thereby creating grey water. When blue water is withdrawn from a river, lake or aquifer and used in manufacturing processes, it may be returned to a water body as grey water, containing more or less pollutants than the water that was originally withdrawn. The calculation of a grey water 8

17 footprint is based on the quantity of water necessary to dilute or assimilate pollutants in the grey water to such a degree that the water becomes suitable as blue water for other downstream uses. Green, blue and grey water footprints are all represented as water volumes. Figure 2 depicts the components of a water footprint. For a product, the direct water footprint refers to water consumed in operations. Indirect water use refers to water consumed in the supply chain to produce the materials purchased by the producer. 10 Both direct and indirect water footprints are comprised of green, blue and grey water footprints. Water footprint accounting differs from the traditional statistics on water use, which account only for direct blue water withdrawals and/or non-consumptive water use (return flow). DIRECT WATER FOOTPRINT INDIRECT WATER FOOTPRINT Water Withdrawal Non-consumptive water use (return flow) GREEN WATER FOOTPRINT BLUE WATER FOOTPRINT GREEN WATER FOOTPRINT BLUE WATER FOOTPRINT Water Consumption GREY WATER FOOTPRINT GREY WATER FOOTPRINT Water Pollution Figure 2. Components of a Water Footprint Source: Water Footprint Manual (2009) The Water Footprint Network has developed methods for calculating water footprints, and it has begun to formulate approaches for assessing their potential impacts and designing response strategies. These methods are documented in the Water Footprint Manual. As described in the manual and shown in Figure 3, a water footprint assessment is conducted through four phases. Setting goals and scope Water footprint accounting Water footprint sustainability assessment Water footprint response formulation Figure 3. Phases of a Water Footprint Assessment Source: Water Footprint Manual (2009) During the first phase, the scope of the assessment is defined based on goals and objectives. Water footprint accounting is conducted during Phase 2. The sustainability 11 of the water footprint is evaluated during Phase 3, and response actions to mitigate impacts are formulated during Phase 4. Three water footprint assessment pilot studies for the Coca-Cola system s products are described in the following section. 10 The end use water footprint, water used by a retailer and/or consumer, may also be relevant to some product water footprints (e.g., soaps, detergents). 11 This phase was named Impacts Assessment at the time of the three pilot studies discussed in Section 2. 9

18 Jacques Cousteau

19 2.0 PILOT STUDIES The three pilot studies described in this section were conducted from 2008 to 2010 following the methodology of the Water Footprint Network. The studies were undertaken early in the water footprint development process with the intent to test the methodology, inform the science and help increase understanding of the water footprint concept. The first water footprint assessment focused on the Company s most popular sparkling beverage, Coca-Cola. A key finding of this study was that the water footprint of sugar is a significant component of the total water footprint. Based on this result, the second study examined the water footprint of refined sugar from sugar beets supplied to the Coca-Cola system s European bottling plants. The third pilot study explored the water footprint of two orange juice products produced for the North American market to better understand water use throughout the supply chain for a non-sparkling beverage. 2.1 WATER FOOTPRINT OF 0.5 LITER COCA-COLA IN PET BOTTLE A logical choice for the first water footprint assessment was the Company s signature drink, Coca-Cola. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Twente in the Netherlands in collaboration with Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE) and Coca-Cola Europe. The product selected for study was a 0.5 liter PET-bottle of Coca-Cola produced at CCE s Dongen bottling plant in the Netherlands. The specific product selected for this pilot study was driven by the researchers proximity to and familiarity with the local industries and the support of the local bottler and business unit. Water Footprint Accounting A water footprint of Coca-Cola is the sum of indirect water use in the supply chain plus direct operational water use (Figure 4). Indirect Water Use in the Supply Chain Direct Operational Water Use Water Footprint PET Bottle, Closure, Label, Tray Carton, Tray Shrink Film, Pallet Stretch Wrap, Pallet Beet Sugar, Phosphoric Acid, Caramel, Caffeine, C0 2 Packaging Ingredients Cleaning, Mixing, Blending, Filling Bottling Plant Figure 4. Indirect and Direct Water Footprint Components 11

20 The accounting process began with water used in the supply chain to produce ingredients and other components (e.g., bottles, labels, packing materials). Ingredients include sugar made from sugar beets grown in the Netherlands, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), caramel, phosphoric acid and caffeine. The names and quantities of ingredients in natural flavorings are trade secrets and were not included in the assessment, but the absence of these data should not impact the case study or related conclusions because the water footprints associated with such natural flavoring are not expected to be material in nature. 12 The supply chain water footprint also includes overhead, which accounts for water used to produce the energy that powers the plants, building materials, office paper, vehicles, fuel and other items not directly related to operations. Water used in operations consists of the water incorporated into the product as an ingredient and water used in production processes. Throughout the Coca-Cola system, the process water is treated to rigorous standards before it is reused inside a plant or returned to communities and nature. The estimates are that the green water footprint of the 0.5 liter Coca-Cola beverage is 15 liters, the blue water footprint is 8 liters and the grey water footprint is 12 liters. The green and blue (consumptive) water footprints are primarily associated with sugar beet production. The sugar beets are largely rainfed (green), and some external (blue) water supply is required for irrigation. The blue plus green water footprints for Dutch sugar beets from different regions are shown in Figure 5. Green water makes up approximately twothirds of the consumptive water footprint. Noordelijke klei Noordelijk zand 14 Noordoostpolder Noordelijk dal/veen Oost en Zuid Flevoland Noord en Zuid-Holland 5 Gelderland 10 Zeeuwse-Eilanden Oost-Brabant West-Brabant Zeeuws-Vlaanderen 30 Limburg Figure 5. Consumptive Water Footprints for Dutch Sugar Beets 12 Natural flavorings reported in a recent report titled A Pilot in Corporate Water Footprint Accounting and Impact Assessment: The Water Footprint of a Sugar-Containing Carbonated Beverage (Ercin, et al UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Value of Water Research Report Series No. 39) are not based on appropriate assumptions for Coca-Cola. 12

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Abstract Recovery of full cost and pricing of water in the Water Framework Directive D. Assimacopoulos Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, NTUA The Water Framework Directive (EC 2000/60) introduces

A comparative study on the water footprint of poultry, pork and beef in different countries and production systems P.W. Gerbens-Leenes M.M. Mekonnen A.Y. Hoekstra University of Twente September 2011 Contents

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Call for photographs in support of UNEP s assessment work in the PanEuropean region Background The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is requesting interested persons to participate in this call

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Ecosystems and Food Webs How do AIS affect our lakes? Background Information All things on the planet both living and nonliving interact. An Ecosystem is defined as the set of elements, living and nonliving,

Aim / Learning Objective: Looking at the world through science, students can learn about the marine elements of our natural environment and the importance of the water cycle. Students can look at and compare

issue brief june 2014 IB:14-05-F Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency Potential in California Agriculture uses about 80 percent of California s developed water supply. As such a large user, it

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Global Water Resources Highlights from assessment activities over the past two decades, which are used to establish present and future water trends, reveal that: 1. Freshwater resources are unevenly distributed,

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Earth s Cycles 1. Models are often used to explain scientific knowledge or experimental results. A model of the carbon cycle is shown below. Which of the following can be determined based on this model?

Dear Delegates, It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 2015 Montessori Model United Nations Conference. The following pages intend to guide you in the research of the topics that will be debated at MMUN

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TABLET DETERGENTS Towards A More Sustainable Future Unilever Supports Sustainable Development of Detergents with Tablets THE CONTRIBUTION OF TABLETS Unilever is committed to meeting the needs of customers

Regulatory Options for Membrane Treatment and Residuals Management Background Over a period of several years, Colorado s Water Quality Control Division (Division) received requests for discharge permits

Chapter 14 Quiz Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. Which of the following is NOT true regarding the Chesapeake Bay? a. it is one of many small

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Ecological, Carbon and Water Footprint Part I: Ecological Footprint Ecological Footprint - Definition The Ecological Footprint, (EF) is a composite index that represents the amount of land and sea needed

Sustainability Brief: and Watershed Integrity New Jersey depends on water resources for the health of our people, the strength of our economy, and the vitality of our ecosystems. The quality of our water

PUZZLING PIPES Overview: Students will learn about the various paths that water takes after it is used. They will trace the path of wastewater either through the storm drain system or the sanitary sewer

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RIO+20 AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK How can an Ecological Footprint Contribute to Green Economy in Africa? Introduction Fundamentally we all depend on nature, the ecological infrastructure of the planet that

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Embargo: 9 am EDT, Friday March 22 World Water Day 2013 International Year of Water Cooperation Contacts: Mr. Terry Collins, +1-416-538-8712; +1-416-878-8712; tc@tca.tc Advance interviews are available.

Viewed broadly, the concept of ecosystem services describes the many resources and services provided by nature. Typically, traditional planning and development practices do not adequately represent the

ENVIRONMENT Our ultimate goal, which we first articulated in 2010, is for our operating companies to achieve zero net impact on the environment. We call this goal Net Zero. In, we developed a preliminary

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